Refrigerating apparatus



Oct. 22, 1935. E HEn-MAN 2,018,521'

-REFR I GERAT I NG APPARATUS Filed Feb. 15, 1935 s men-sheet 1 IN VENTOR FDW/7kb #slr/MN 'BML 5. ATTORNEY Oct. 22, 1935. E. Hen-MAN REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Feb. l5. 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 `INVENTOR L'Dmlen liz/#Mall y BY A'ITORNEY oct. 2z, 1935. Hmm-AN y 2,018,521'.

REFRIGERATING"AEPAHATUS EDWARD #EIT/MII ML. 2, Mk

ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 22, v193,5

UNITED STATES PATE-.NT OFFICE BEFRIGERATING APPARATUS Edward Heitman, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Kelvinator Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application February 13, 1933, Serial No. 656,415

l Claims. (Cl. 230-139) 5 in a common fluid tight casing.

An object of the invention is to provide a compact and elcie'nt compression mechanism which may be readily assembled in a relatively small space.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved lubricating system for the moving parts of the compressor and motor.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide an eiiicient means for returning lubricant from the motor compartment of the uid tight casing to thecompressor compartment.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and .accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view partly'in section showing a refrigerating system embodying the'.

invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1 and showingan end view of the compression mechanism; y

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 showing details of the discharge valve;

Fig. V4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 and showing details of the intake valve;

Fig. 5 is'an end view looking toward the leit'4 in Fig. 1 with. the end plate removed and showing the construction of clutch mechanism used for connecting the motor to the compressor;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 2 showing details of the oil return passages from the motor compartment to the compressor compartment;

Fig. 'I is a section view taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 1 showing details of the oil pumping mechanism with the compressor pistonin its lowermost position;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 'i but showing the compressor piston in its upper-most position. Referring to the drawings wherein lis shown one embodiment of the invention, Iii designates a substantially cylindrical steel casing within which is mounted a motor Ii and a compression mechanism I2. The casing IIl is provided with a partition Wall I3 dividing the casing into a motor compartment I4 anda compressor compai'tmentv I5. The Wall I3 is provided axially thereof with a bearing surface I6 which serves as the sole bearing for both the motor and the compressor. The casing I0 is closed in a fluid 5 tight manner ateach end by means of end plates I'I which lare welded'to the periphery of the casing as indicated at I8. The compressor is so arranged that compressed .gas passes directly from the casing through a conduit I9 to a conl0 Here the liqueed refrigerant expands as it ab- 20 sorbs heat from the medium to be cooled and in its gaseous state passes through a conduit 26 to the intake side of the compression mechanism where it is re-compressed and the cycle repeated.

The compression mechanism here shown com- 25 prises a rotary pendulum type pump of the type described in the co-pending application of Frederick R. Erbach, Serial No. 634,129, iiled September 21, 1932, and assigned toKelvinator Corporation. In general this mechanism comprises a cylinder casting 21 securely fastened to the partition member I3, between an -end plate 2B and one side o! the partition, by means oi bolts 29. The cylinder casting 21 is provided with a cylindrical bore 33, and a rotary piston 3i $5 is mounted within the b ore 30 upon an eccentric 32 formed on the crank shaft 33. A blade 34 is rigldlysecured to one side of the piston by means of bolts 35'. ThisA blade reciprocates between two substantially semi-circular rocker members :40 35 which are mounted to oseillate in a cylindrical bore 3% provided in the cylinder casting.

IThe motor ii drives the compression mecha.- nism I2 through a clutch mechanism which clutch mechanism is similar to that described in i5 A3l is mOUnted. This shaft 18 Supported in the bearing i3 formed/in the web I3 and projects beyond thisbearing in each direction. The rotor for the motor is supported on and rigidly secured tana relatively short shaft or hub 33 which is in turn supported by and rotatably mounted ons. projecting end of the shaff 33. The hub 33 has two outwardly extending portions 4l, each of` which is provided with a bore 4| serving as a bearing surface for a short shaft 42-freely rotatable therein. At one end of each of the shafts 42 is secured a counterweight 43 to -which a spur gear 44 is rigidly attached. Each of the gears 44 is constructed and arranged to mesh with a spur Y operated.

gear 45 rigidly secured to one endof gear 45 will rotate about that gear. As the speed ofthe hub 33 increases the angular velocity of the weights 31 about the axis of the gear 4I correspondingly increases, and since the centers of gravity of the weights 31Sare spaced a considerable distance radially outwardly from the fixed axis of rotation of the gear 45, a centrifugal force willsbe set up tending to maintain the weights in the position shown in Fig. 5. When these weights have assumed the position indicated. the rotation of the gears 44 around the gear 45 will cease and as a result the gear 43 will be driven by the gears 44 and consequently the'- shaft 33 will also be driven and the compressor It'will be apparent that any excessive load which may be imposed on the compressor will tend to reduce the speed of rotation of the gear 45 and cause the gears 44 to again begin to rotate around this gear. thereby relieving the motor of any excessive loadwhich may placed upon the compressor. The valve structure for the compressor comprises a discharge valvemechanism 53 shown in detail in Fig. 3 and an inlet or check valve liin the suction line. which valve is shown in detail in Fig. 4. The check valve mechanism 5I com' prises generally a seat 32'with which cooperates la nat spring disc'33 normally maintained seated bycoil spring l54 which surroundsna stud l! mounted on the under side of a screw threaded plug 56. orator passes through the conduit 23. through a screen S1 which is used to illter out particles of foreign matter, through a passage 33' to the under side of the valve 33, and then through the v inlet valve to the intake side of the compressor. The discharge valve mechanism, which is sim-- ilar to that shown in the aforementioned application of Frederick R. Erbach. comprises a rigid member 59 having a passage 33 extending through one end thereof'incommunication with the discharge side of the compressor. A valve seat 3| is formed at one end of the passage .SII and an 'elongated leaf spring l'62 rigidly fastened at one end to the member I9 cooperates with the seat 6| to form a valve. A second elongated spring member 63 extends parallel -to but spaced a short Vaporized refrigerant from the evapdistance from the valve member 62. This member 63 serves tollimit the movement of valve member 62 but is so constructed that in the event excess pressure is produced in the discharge side of the compressor, as by the passage of a slug of oil, 5

this member B3 will also yield and assist in relieving the pressure so created. The valve member 62 is normally maintained seated by a coil spring' 33 which is in turn supported about a stud rigidly securedto one end of an elon- 10 'gated rigid member 33 which projects above the leaf springs 62 and 33. The members 68 and springs 32 and 63 are rigidly secured to one end of the member 59 by meansof bolts 61.

The invention lalsof contemplates a forced lubri- 1g eating system for the moving parts of thecom- `presser and the motor.

The details of the oil pump are shown in Figs. 7 and 8. From these iisures it will be noted that the blade member 34 is provided with a longitu- )o dinal passage 1i 'which cooperates with a passage 12 extending radially 4through the piston, 3|. The inner surface of the piston 3l is provided with a substantially semi-circular groove 13 which extends from the passage 12 to a point Il substantially diametrically opposite this passage.

The eccentric member 32 on which the piston is mounted is provided with a passage 14 extending from its periphery inwardly to. an axial passage 13 which extends axially of the shaft 33 30 for the greater partof its length. The end of the passage 15 adjacent the motor Il is in open communication with passages 13 formed in the.

hub member 39 and which extend substantially radially outwardly to communicate with ports 11. 33 The ports 11 are formed radially through each of the shafts 42 and communicatewith longitudinal passages 13 formed axially of the shafts 42 on which the weights 31 and gears 44 are mounted. In order tol lubrlcate the bearing surfaces of the weights 31 on the shafts\42, a port'fl! is provided extending radially from the outer end of each passage 13 to the periphery of each shaft 42. Oil from this bearing ls urface is returned to the lower part Iofthe motor compartment through a pas-r sage 30. v

In the operation of the lubricating system the compressor compartment is illled with a' bodyof lubricating mediumto approximately the level indicated by the dotted une 'n in Fig. n a re-"IO" stricted'port 3l connects the body of lubricating'- medium with the pasage way 12 formed in the blade member 34. On the up stroke of the piston, which is the position indicated in Fig. 8, a

portionl of the lubricating medium is drawn in l,"

throughthe passage 3| and into the recess 3 2 provided in the cylinder casting below the recess 33. Whenthe blademember 34 makes its down strokethe lubricant contained in the recess 32 is forced upwardly through the passage 1I 0 rather than out the passage 3| because of the relatively restricted vdiameter of the passage 3l.'r The lubricating medium 'flows through the passages 1i and 12 into the passage or recess 13 formed in the piston u nathan news into the l5 passage 14 provided in theeccentric member 32, inasmuch as the passageway 14 communicates with the recess 13 during the downstroke of the blade member 34 as shown in Fig. '1. Continued rotation of the eccentric 32 to rotate the piston 70 3i and raise the blade member 34, results ir. the

breaking of communication between the passage 'I4 and the groove 13 as shown in Fig. 8 and therefore the lubricating medium trapped in the passage 14 nows through the axial passage Maud 15 fectively lubricate the piston 3i and the bearingV surfaces of the rocker members 3 5. Lubricating medium also will flow from the cylinder 3|! to the bearings for the shaft 33 and outwardly to each end ofthe shaft, that portion of lubricating medium which flows toward the motor and eventually falhng to the bottom of the motor compartment.

In order to provide for the return of the lubricant'which collects in the motor compartment the compressor is so arranged that thegas compressed thereby is discharged directly into the motor compartment,the gas passing through the discharge valve I into a recess 83 which communicates through a passage 84 directly with the motor compartment. The compressed gas then" passes through a passage 85 formed in the lowery part of the partition wall I3 and through a passage 86 extending through this wall from the bottom to the top thereof from which passage gas iiows through a port 81 into the interior of the compressor compartment. Inasmuch as the gas must pass from the motor compartment to the discharge conduit I9, which is connected to the casing wall at the compressor compartment,

' and in doing so iiows through the passages 85, 86

and 81, it will forcel ahead of or entrain such lubricant as has collected in the lower part of the motor compartment and return the'lubricantto the compressor compartment where the lubricant separates by gravity, returning to themam body of lubricating medium'vin the compressor compartment.

It will be apparent' from the foregoing description that this invention provides a compression mechanism for a refrigerating system in which the compressor and its driving motor, both of which are enclosed in a common fluid tight casing, may be thoroughly and effectively lubricated.

in a4 positive manner, utilizing as a lubricating 'pump only the parts necessary for the compression of the gas and without the addition of a separate oil pump. It will also be apparent that this invention provides a simple and effective systern for returning lubricant from the moving parts of the apparatus to the main lubricant reservoir.

While I have shown and described a specific embodiment of the invention it will be apparent that other forms may be adopted all coming within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a compression mechanism, a fluid tight enclosure divided into a motor compartment and a compressor compartment, a motor anda compressor disposed in said compartments, respectively, said compressor compartment providing a reservoir for lubricant, means for supplying lubricant to the compressor, communicating means between the outlet of the compressor and the motor compartment to conduct the compressed mediurn discharged by the compressor and lubrie cant to the motor compa ont before said compressed medium and iulsricant enters said com pressor compartment, and additional communieating .means anangcd conducting" iuoricant 3 and compressed medium from a point adjacen the lower part of the motor compartment to said compressor compartment at au point above the level of lubricant in said reservoir, said lubricant being forced through said additional communi- 5 eating means by the pressure of the compressed medium in said motor compartment.

2. -In a compression mechanism, a fluid tight enclosure divided into a motor compartment and `a compressor compartment, a motor and a coml0 pressor disposed in said compartments, respectively, communicating means between the outlet of the compressor and the motor compartment to conduct the compressed medium discharged by the compressor to the motor com-.15 partment before it enters said-rcompressor compartment, and additional communicating means arranged to conduct the compressed medium from adjacent the lower part of the motor compartment to a point adjacent the upper part of 20' said compressor compartment.

3. In a compression mechanism, a fluid tight casing divided into a motor compartment and a compressor compartment, a motor and a-compressordisposed in said compartments,` respectively, driving means connecting the motor and the compressor, said compressor compartment providing a reservoir for lubricant, means for supplying lubricant to the compressor and said driving means, communicating means between the outlet of the compressor and the motor compartment to conduct the discharged compressed medium and lubricant to the motor compart- Y ment before the same enters said compressor compartment, and additional communicating means arranged for conducting lubricant and compressed medium from v,a vpoint adjacent the lower part of the motor vcompartment to said compressor compartment at a point above the level of lubricant in said reservoir, said lubricant@ beingl forced through said additional communieating means by the pressure of the compressed medium in said motor compartment.

l 4. In a compression mechanism, a fluid tight casing, vertical partition means dividing the casing into a motor compartment and a compressor compartment, a motor and a compressor disposed in said compartments, respectively, said compressor compartment providing a reservoir for lubricant, means for supplying lubricantv to the compressor, communicating means between the outlet of the compressor and the motor compartment for conducting the discharged compressed medium and lubricant to the motor compartment before it enters said compressor com- "55v 5. In a compression mechanism, a fluid tight @5,

casing, vertical partition means dividing the cas ing into a motor compartment and a compressor compartment, a motor and a compressor disposed in compartments, hielp. compressor co .parta for lubricant,

having a passage associated wi aie. cornpressor for conduct' .J

are sed .medium lubricant into sai-d motor 4 v compartment before same enters said compressor compartment, and said partition means having a second passage leading from the lower part of said motor compartment upwardly to said com- 5` presser compartment at a point above the level of lubricant inf said reservoir-rior conducting the 'compressed medium and lubricant in said motor cot to said compressor cmnpartment, said lubricant'being forced through said second passage b'y the pressure oi the compressed medium in said motor compartment.

' EDWARD HEI'iMAN. 

